


One Step at a Time

by LightBloom



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-05
Updated: 2016-09-26
Packaged: 2018-05-31 09:17:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 17,939
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6464653
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LightBloom/pseuds/LightBloom
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"She could spot him a mile away. He never changed his routine, just the girl who came flitting in with him day after day. He’d stepped up his game since the local college had started up the new semester after all, a whole new freshmen class of girls who didn’t know him. Or at least, that’s what Severa was muttering to her as she paid for her food. "</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**September**

She could spot him a mile away. He never changed his routine, just the girl who came flitting in with him day after day. He’d stepped up his game since the local college had started up the new semester after all, a whole new freshmen class of girls who didn’t know him. Or at least, that’s what Severa was muttering to her as she paid for her food.

“Sorry, what were you saying?”

“Pay attention will you?” Severa huffed, stuffing her change into one of her coat pockets. Corrin handed her the receipt absently, still staring directly at the table in the small sunroom of the tea café. Severa snatched it out of Corrin’s limp hand, waving it furiously under her nose. Corrin jumped in surprise. “Sheesh, stop staring! He can feel it, you’ll just encourage him!”

“S-Sorry!” Corrin looked past Severa quickly to insure there were no customers waiting in line before leaning over the counter to whisper. “So you’re sure he comes in with a different date every day?”

Severa rolled her eyes. “Every day,” she reassured sternly. “Orders the same thing, two fresh cups of lavender tea and a few tea cakes. I’m not sure how he does it and I don’t want to know, I just pretend he’s not really there unless I need to deliver something to the table.”

Corrin looked up once more towards the table. Immediately, her gaze was met by _his_. She felt the hair on the back of her neck rise as he smiled warmly, waving every so discreetly her direction so as to not alert the girl who sat across from him, who was so enthralled in her conversation she barely noticed the gesture. Severa reached over and pulled Corrin’s chin to point towards her. “Hey, hey what did I just say?”

“Don’t stare?”

“Yes, don’t. Stare.” Severa turned to glare at the man on his date. He stiffened and smiled back sheepishly before returning to his date. Severa rolled her eyes. “He’s going to wave you over for a fresh cup of tea in a few minutes, trust me I know. Do not make eye contact, just pour the tea and leave him be. I have to get to class.”

“But why can’t I talk to him? Kagero said that being friendly adds to customer experience—“

“Being friendly to _him_ adds to his experience as a customer, not to your personal interaction experience. Trust me, I know him, just leave him be and pretend he’s not here.”

“I don’t get it, is he a jerk or something—“

Severa groaned so loudly, several of the nearby customers jumped in their seats. “Corrin, I know you have this ridiculous urge to see the good in everyone but could you just trust me when I say you should avoid talking to him? You’re new working here, you aren’t even from this town—just for the love of god, do not look at him and, under no circumstances, speak to him.”

Severa snatched her sandwich and drink off the counter and slung her side bag over her shoulder. She jabbed her finger up at Corrin’s face. “Remember. New employee—“her finger swiveled to jab at her own chest—“senior employee.”

Corrin could only watch in wonder as Severa barged out of the café.

 

* * *

 

 

Sure enough, like Severa predicted, he was asking for a fresh cup of tea within half an hour of her departure. The date was gone (Severa had offhandedly mentioned that before Corrin remembered zoning out to stare) but he still remained. The cakes were untouched, and aside from the empty cup across from his, there was no sign that the date had even occurred. Nervously, she grasped the pot of lavender tea close to her chest and began what felt like the longest walk to the tiny sunroom at the back of the café. Every step felt louder to her ears, the click of her heels far too noticeable as she approached. When she finally reached the table, she could feel herself shaking.

Taking a quiet but shaky breath, she leaned over to pour the tea.

The man stared up at her, purple eyes shimmering, amused.

“Are you alright my dear? You seem a bit shaken.”

Startled, her hand slipped. The spout of the pot tipped the tea cup off its saucer, causing it to shatter on the ground. Corrin stared down in horror. She hadn’t expected him to talk; somehow, she naively believed that if she kept silent, he would never speak. Her eyes darted to meet his shocked gaze. Flushing pink, she clutched the pot to her chest and backed up several steps. “I’m so sorry! I’ll be right back to clean it up!”

“No, wait! It’s my fault, I shouldn’t have startled you.” The man grasped her forearm, half out his seat.

She hesitated. “I—“

He smirked. “I should have known my dashing good looks and stunning smile would have dazzled you out of your wits.”

Corrin stared blankly. Ever so slowly, she pried his fingers from her arm. Quietly, she set the pot on the table and turned towards the kitchen before dashing away.  
  


 

* * *

 

 

Severa groaned. “I _told_ you not to talk to him!” she hissed, furiously slicing tomatoes with a mandolin. Corrin was flushed pink with shame, quietly shoveling the tomato slices into a prep container.

“Leave her alone Severa,” snickered Keaton from across the prep table. “You can’t blame her for being taken aback, you didn’t exactly warn her what he was like.”

“Exactly!” Corrin said, relieved to find someone on her side. “All you said was to avoid talking to him! You never said what he would be like! I thought he was going to be the biggest asshole on the Earth!”

Keaton chuckled. “Well, given the way Severa talks about anyone, I can’t blame you for thinking that.” He reached over and plucked a tomato straight out of Severa’s hand, swiftly taking a large bite out of it before she could snatch it back. She glared at him momentarily before pulling out a new tomato from the bowl beside her.

“He is an asshole,” she snapped. “He’s a shameless flirt and I hate him.”

“He’s also her family friend,” Keaton chimed in, spitting bits of tomato as he spoke. Both girls grimaced, silently pulling the prep tools towards them and away from his terrible table manners. “Did she mention that?”

Corrin shook her head. “I don’t even know his name.”

“Oh that’s easy, his name is—“

“We aren’t saying his name,” Severa snarled, slamming the mandolin on the table. “We are in no way speaking of this idiots name in the kitchen. We don’t need to ruin the tomatoes like that.”

Keaton ignored her, leaning over the table and loudly whispering towards Corrin, “His name is Laslow and word on the street is his family is very close with Severa’s family. There’s also a rumor that Laslow isn’t his real name and he just uses it as a fake name for dates—“

“His family _was_ close with mine,” Severa corrected hollowly. Keaton flinched. Even Corrin felt the urge to cower. Clearly somewhere along his monologue, something had gone very wrong. Nervously licking her lips, Corrin spoke.

“Severa? Is everything alright?”

Severa looked at her. “If you really _have_ to know, his name is Laslow and he’s a flirt. We grew up together, along with Owain, and our families _used_ to be close but they aren’t any more because they’re _dead_. However, none of that is important because what’s really important is that you, Corrin, know that Laslow is a flirt who _will_ try to ask you out every chance he gets, so you should avoid him at all costs so you can actually get work done. Now if you excuse me, my prep shift is over in two minutes and I need to clock out.”

With that, she shoved the tomato bowl and mandolin at Keaton before storming out of the kitchen. Corrin frowned at her senior. “Keaton, shouldn’t you apologize?”

“Nah,” he shrugged, taking another large bite out of the tomato. “It’s common knowledge around these parts that he’s a flirt, and you were bound to find out about their families at some point. Besides, Severa didn’t really need to tell you all of that. She knows how to avoid whole truths if she wants to so if she’s said anything then it’s because she wants you to know but can’t figure out how to do it without making it look like she thinks of you as a friend.”

He winked. “I heard you’re off prep shift next week though. Have fun with Laslow!”

 

“You’re back! And here I was afraid I would depart this earth without gazing upon your face again.”

Corrin winced. Severa wasn’t wrong; Laslow was a shameless flirt but what irked her wasn’t his flirting. It was his boisterous manner of greeting her, the way he smiled and pleasantly greeted her as though the girl sitting across from him (who looked fairly miffed if she might add) was nonexistent.

“I work here.” Replied Corrin shortly. She placed the plate of tea cakes between the pair.

“But of course! I was simply concerned you had left your profession all together,” Laslow said cheerfully. Corrin noticed he’d somehow managed to place tea cakes on his date’s plate without so much as saying a word. “It is your first time as a waitress, is it not?”

Corrin stiffened. “H-How did you know that—“

“Miss, I do not want to seem rude, but you did tip a cup with your tea spout and your hands were shaking so hard, I could hear the tea sloshing from all the way here.”

She blushed. “I-I—that had nothing to do with it!”

“Mm, yes. I’m sure Severa told you all about me, did she not?” Laslow stirred his tea, quickly smiling at his date as if to reassure her that he still knew she was there. She did not seem very pleased either way. “Severa always describes me in the most particular way...I suppose she told you not to talk to me before she left the other day?”

Corrin clamped her mouth shut. She could feel her teeth grinding together. Laslow snickered. “I’m sorry my dove, I don’t mean to put you on the spot like this. If I may ask, what is your name? I’m sure you know mine, shouldn’t you extend the courtesy to me?”

“Corrin.”

The effect was instant. She flinched as Laslow shot out of his chair. Pale as a sheet, he scrambled to grab his things. Even his date was staring at him in awe. Or disgust. Corrin wasn’t sure. Laslow awkwardly edged around her and away from the table. “C-Corrin, pleasure meeting you. If you excuse me, I completely forgot I need do a—um—pick up something! Yes, I forgot I have to pick something up! Please excuse me!”

With that, he dashed out of the café. His date huffed, piling the rest of the tea cakes onto her plate and resuming her meal in a silent pout.

Corrin didn’t see him again for another two weeks.


	2. Chapter 2

**October**

“You know my brother.”

Laslow jumped so fiercely, he nearly spilt tea all over his textbook. “C-Corrin!”

Corrin stared down at him flatly, placing the tea pot on his table before pulling up a seat beside him. “You could have just said you knew my brother.”

“Miss—Corrin—should you really be sitting here—“

“I’m on my lunch, I can do whatever I want and what I want is to know why you didn’t just say you know my older brother Xander.”

Laslow hesitates, nervously tapping his fingers against the porcelain cup between his hands. “It’s a lot more complicated than that—“

“How could it possibly be more complicated than ‘you know my brother’?”

“Well,” Laslow averted his gaze. “I am sure you are well acquainted with my routine by now—“

“Yes, yes, your habit of bringing in a new date every day, all of which seem to leave halfway through when they realize how rehearsed this date is.”

Laslow pouted faintly. “I take great offense to you saying my words are rehearsed. However, you are correct in that I do bring my dates here. If Xander were to find out—“

“Find out what? That you openly tried to flirt with his younger sister? That you’re a wild flirt who tries to seduce young freshmen girls in public?”

“L-Let’s just say all of the above for the time being.”

“He already knows you come here.” Corrin took the liberty of pouring herself a fresh cup of tea. Today’s flavor was chamomile with peach. “I mentioned that I spilled some tea on a Laslow while he was on a date and he wasn’t very happy to hear that name.”

“N-no, I suppose he would not.” Laslow murmured feebly.

“He wanted to know how many women you brought during the day. He seemed almost impressed when I said only one. Proud even.” Corrin also took the liberty of taking one of his tea cakes. Today, he’d ordered simple cucumber sandwiches. It seemed like his budget was much smaller when he was alone. “I almost didn’t want to tell him that you came every day.”

“You’re far too kind.”

She fought the urge to smile. “I don’t understand though.”

Laslow shut his book, folding his hands over the cover in sincere curiosity. “What is it you don’t understand my dear?”

“I don’t understand how someone as flirtatious and boisterous as you can be such good friends with my brother.” This time Corrin did chuckle. It was hard to imagine her poised eldest brother taking time out of his disciplined schedule to see someone like Laslow. Even now, watching him study so diligently, she couldn’t imagine such a scene.

Laslow seemed to catch on. “I understand why you’re confused.”

“Do you always talk like a posh old English man or is that part of the show too?”

“That my dear would be attributed to my mother. But enough about her,” Laslow pushed his book aside, leaning in towards her. “I know very little about you miss. Would you mind sparing a few more minutes for a cup of tea?”

“And that’s my cue to go,” Corrin huffed as she stood up. Laslow sighed dramatically.

“I should have known Xander’s younger sister would not be so easily pleased.”

“Corrin,” she corrected flatly. “Corrin has to go back to work now.”

“Farewell then Lady Corrin,” he replied. She would have thought it was sarcastic but given the way he spoke, she wouldn’t put it past him. It almost made her smile. “Shall I see you tomorrow then?”

“Tomorrow. I take it you’ll have a new date?”

“Why of course. You’ll be serving those delicious honey cakes, I can’t miss those.”

 

* * *

 

“Do you think he pays for the dates himself?” Corrin asked absently, waiting as Mozu counted the cash in the till. The younger girl was also new to the café but she had such a knack for numbers that Kagero instantly demanded she make sure the money count was right each night.

“Who?”

“Laslow, the resident female student tour guide,” she replied cheerfully. She watched as Laslow bid his date farewell. This had been the longest date by far; it was almost closing time, yet here he was still, sipping through his tea like he had all the time in the world. “He’s here almost every day. He orders cakes and almost a whole pot of tea. I can’t believe he pays that out of pocket every time.”

“Oh, him!” Mozu peered up shyly over the register before returning to her task. “I’ve actually never had him pay when I’m at the register. I could check the receipts if you really want to know.”

She stiffened, rising up above the register once more. “W-Why do you want to know? Do you think he’s been stealing from the café? H-Have I been doing my math wrong this whole time? W-We should tell Kagero—“

“No, no, no! Mozu—“Corrin grasped the young girls’ shoulders as gently as possible. “It’s nothing like that Mozu. I’m just curious that’s all. I know he pays for his food, I was just wondering if he pays for his dates every time or if he splits them. Not all of them end well, you know?”

Mozu smiled faintly, turning back to the money in her hand. “N-no, you’re right. Whenever I’ve been here, many girls only make it through the door before he flirts with another girl and they change their mind. He doesn’t always come on dates though.”

Corrin raised her eyebrows in semi-shock. “Really?”

Mozu nodded. “Yeah, he comes and reads a lot. I don’t know if he’s going to school because I don’t really see him reading textbooks like other students but he looks like he could be. How else could he be meeting so many freshmen girls?”

Corrin fought the urge to imply he could be seducing them on campus anyways. Instead, she grabbed the pot to her right. “I’ll be back.”

Indeed, Mozu was right; he had been on a date but the moment she left, a book had appeared on the table. He seemed very engrossed in the literature but either way, she approached to take his dirty plates. “It looked like your date went well today.” She said softly, trying to avoid startling him.

“Yes, well…she was nice, I suppose.” He murmured back. His eyes never lifted from the book but his hand immediately reached out to cover her wrist. “I would appreciate a fresh cup of black tea, if that’s alright?”

Corrin hesitated. “No herbal tea? I don’t think I’ve ever heard you ask for a caffeinated tea before.”

He smiled up at her weakly before turning back to his book. “To be frank, I probably should have cut the date short to resume my studies. I believe the extra caffeine will help me stay awake through the next few chapters of this book.”

“Was she too pretty to leave?” Corrin teased.

“No, quite the contrary, while her appearance was quite beautiful, her personality left…a rather bitter taste in my mouth.” Laslow sighed. “I suppose that appearances _can_ be deceiving.”

“I’m surprised, you didn’t really strike me as the type to really care about personalities.” She mentally chided herself; that was incredibly rude, no matter how she phrased it. She was about to apologize when Laslow burst out laughing. Wiping tears from the corner of his eyes, he struggled to stop chuckling.

“I don’t blame you for making that assumption!” He chortled. “Your brother told me the exact same thing when I first made this complaint to him as well. I am indeed very open with giving ladies the compliments they deserve but I am also human I’ll have you know. There are many people who do not strike my fancy.”

“I couldn’t tell from the register,” Corrin replied, genuinely confused. “You were smiling the whole time. Why fake your enjoyment?”

“My smile is never fake,” Laslow clarified. “I make it a point to always smile, everything is better with a smile. I could be having a terrible time but with a smile, it’s not so bad anymore, is it?”

“No, I suppose not. You did end the date on good terms, so I guess you avoided making her uncomfortable and making a scene…”

“Exactly! It is not her fault that I did not agree with her. What harm do I cause by simply bearing with a less than pleasant date rather than asking her to leave early in?”

“I…I never thought about it that way. You didn’t hurt her feelings, so she didn’t leave thinking there was something wrong with her. That’s…oddly considerate, in a way.”

Laslow smiled, placing his used tea cup closer to the edge for her to take away. Corrin frowned.

“Laslow?”

“Yes, Corrin?”

“Don’t take this the wrong way but you’re smarter than you look.”


	3. Chapter 3

**November**

“So what do you study?”

Laslow peered up from his notebook. Pen still in hand, he twirled it between his fingers. “Why do you ask?”

“You’ve mentioned before that you need to study, and I’ve seen you reading but not textbooks. You also write a lot in notebooks. Are you going to school nearby?”

He closed his notebook. “You’re very astute. You’re right, I am studying. I’m a graduate student at the university in town. I’ve started my practicum courses however, so that is why you haven’t seen me carrying textbooks.”

“You didn’t answer my question though,” Corrin noted. “You never told me what you study.”

He chuckled, motioning for her to take a seat. She paused. She’d only come in to grab lunch but her food wasn’t done. It was silly to stand the whole time. Reluctantly, she took the seat across from him.

“My fair lady,” he began. “Don’t you think that’s rather unfair?”

“I don’t understand.”

“You’ve been asking me question after question since we’ve met, but I know very little about you. You won’t even sit with me to have tea—don’t try to lie.” He interrupted, cutting her off quickly. “I could see that even now you have to convince yourself to take a seat. You don’t trust me.”

“I don’t know you. And remember, all I _do_ know about you is that you’re a womanizer.”

“And all I know about _you_ is that you’re Xander’s younger sister. All we have are assumptions, not truths. Could you at least try to answer one of my questions in return?”

Corrin sighed, pursing her lips. “I…suppose. It would depend on the question.”

“I’m not as perverse as Selena makes me out to be, Corrin. I promise.”

She examined him carefully. Xander seemed to like him. She hadn’t said anything, but her brother spoke nothing but good things about Laslow. Odd as it was, she felt like Laslow had her brother’s seal of approval, something Corrin felt that even she lacked. Looking up towards the counter, she sighed. Mozu was a quick worker but even she needed time to meet the lunch rush. Her food wouldn’t be out for a while. “Alright,” she relented. “Ask away.”

“What is your favorite flavor of tea?”

Corrin frowned. “Are you asking so that the next time you ask me out, you’ll order the right tea?”

“I’m offended that you even have to ask,” he teased with a smirk.

“You aren’t joking, are you?”

“I never jest.”

She rolled her eyes. “I like herbal teas but my favorite is rose tea.”

He smiled widely. “You share similar tastes to your brother.”

“See, you can’t ask me out now,” she replied cheekily. “It’d be like dating Xander and you said it yourself, he’s impossible to please. But enough about that, you have to answer my question now. What are you studying?”

Laslow flushed pink; Corrin couldn’t hide her shock. She hadn’t thought him capable of looking embarrassed. Sheepishly, he pushed his bangs behind his ear. The short hair quickly slipped out from position. “I-I’m studying dance,” he mumbled shyly.

Corrin frowned. She could barely hear him over the bustle of people in the café and he’d all but breathed out the words. “What did you say?”

Clearing his throat, he refused to meet her gaze. “I-I said, I’m studying dance.” He straightened up with newly found gusto. “I’m supposed to be teaching dance now as a part of my graduate study, that’s why I’m always carrying my notebook.”

Corrin smiled warmly. Given the nature of their tentative relationship, she normally would have teased right back but he looked so hopelessly shy, she couldn’t help but try to reassure him. “What do you write about?”

“I-I-It has notes about my students and their form—“he fumbled to open the notebook, flipping it to face Corrin instead. “I keep track of their progress this way.”

Indeed, there were very detailed scrawls scattered on each page. Each sketch had a small paragraph next to it. Upon closer examination, she realized the book was dedicated to a single student. “Do…do you have a book for each of your students?”

He nodded furiously, still blushing. “I’m not planning on going into teaching but I can’t give them proper instruction unless I know where each person can improve on the most.”

“Laslow, this is amazing,” whispered Corrin, silently sifting through the notebook. “If you aren’t planning on teaching, then what is it you want to do?”

“I—“

“Corrin!”

They jumped. Mozu was waving her bagged lunch overhead enthusiastically. She beckoned Corrin over. Corrin glanced back to Laslow. His cheeks were still flushed pink. A shiver ran down her spine. Carefully, she closed the notebook and smiled.

“I have to go. Um,” she bit her lip. Avoiding his gaze, she looked to the floor instead. “C-Could we keep talking like this next time?”

Laslow nodded breathlessly. He struggled to find his words, let alone what to do with his hands, flailing to grab his notebook. “Y-Yes, o-of course! S-Should we arrange a meeting o-or perhaps—“

“Here—“Corrin snatched the pencil from his hand and scribbled her number on a napkin before shoving it into his open palm. She gathered her things in her arms, walking towards the counter. “Text me when you have time, I’m free on Wednesdays and most weekends.”

“Okay,” he said gently, watching her go. “Okay.”

His eyes followed her from the counter to the door. Heart pounding, he looked down at the napkin. His mouth felt dry. He’d never told someone about his dancing before. Not even his dates. Smiling to himself, he pocketed the napkin and prepared to leave.

He would text her the minute he got back home.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise I won't leave you guys hanging as long for the next chapter.

**December**

“So…you’re meeting him again?” Elise asked coyly, rolling onto her back on the couch. Corrin shot her sister a semi-serious look before turning back to the closet. She just couldn’t decide if it was worth taking a warmer jacket. It wasn’t snowing just yet but that didn’t mean it was warm outside. “I thought you said he was a womanizer?”

“I said he was a flirt,” Corrin corrected, pulling out a warm knit sweater. She could just take it off if she got too warm. “And I’m not meeting him for a date, we just never got to finish our conversation the other day.”

“Mhm,” Elise nodded seriously, her feet kicking the air absently. “You mean the conversation you guys started…two weeks ago?”

“He had midterms and I had to work, it’s not a date.”

“I’m not going to try to convince you to not go Corrin,” Elise said, giggling. “I’m not Camilla or Xander. Leo and I want you do what makes you happy, isn’t that right Leo?”

“Stop trying to pull me into the conversation Elise, I was enjoying my book until you two decided to interrupt my peace,” Leo stated flatly, never raising his gaze from his book. “The less I know about something that could potentially upset Camilla or worry Xander, the better.”

“It won’t!”

Leo rolled his eyes. “Please. Camilla has never let anyone she deems unworthy so much as _talk_ to Corrin, let alone be in the same room as her. And Xander has known Laslow for a while but never introduced him to us, shouldn’t that speak to his character?”

Elise pouted. “Xander is really busy and doesn’t have time to bring people home, you know that Leo.”

Leo lifted his gaze towards Corrin, frowning. “What did Xander say about him?”

“He said he’s a bit of a flirt but he’s an honest and kind person.”

“Did he say you should be friends with him?”

“No, but I didn’t think I should have to ask permission to make friends anymore,” Corrin responded sarcastically. Leo returned to his book.

“Well there you go. Xander doesn’t think it’s worth your time to talk to him. I say drop the fool, he’s obviously just trying to flirt with you.”

“Leo!” Elise exclaimed, jumping up from the couch. She marched over and smacked the book out of his hand. Shocked, Leo could only stare at her in awe. “Apologize!”

“Elise—“

“Apologize to Corrin right now! You know Father never let her make any friends before and even though he only died a few months ago, it’s the first time she’s ever been able to make a choice in a long time! I don’t care if you don’t like this Laslow person but Corrin should be able to make friends with whoever she wants!”

Leo’s shoulders dropped. Elise was right. Their father had become difficult after the death of his latest wife, right before they’d adopted Corrin as a child. He’d been so overprotective of her, he even homeschooled her up through to higher education. She’d barely left the house growing up. It wasn’t until his death that Corrin had finally stepped free from his tight grip. He sighed in defeat.

“I’m sorry Corrin. Please forgive me.” He pinched the bridge of his nose. “I…I’m sorry. I just don’t want you to regret this.”

Corrin smiled warmly. “I know you’re just worried about me, Leo.”

“It’s because we love you Corrin!” interjected Elise, pulling her brother into a tight embrace. Leo grunted his disapproval. “We just want the best for you!”

Corrin smiled, tossing her sweater on the couch and running over to join the hug. Leo grunted again, less loudly. “You guys are the best!”  


 

* * *

 

 

“So you never told me what you really want to do.”

Laslow laughed softly, stuffing his hands into his pockets. The park was chilly but his coat was thick and warm. “You’ve been thinking about that for the past two weeks?”

Corrin nodded, smiling back. “I actually have! It’s been eating at me ever since we last talked!”

“If you _really_ must know, I suppose I must answer,” he teased. His heart felt ready to beat out of his chest. “I want to be a professional dancer.”

He kicked a small rock with the tip of his shoe, watching as Corrin sipped on her hot chocolate. The iron bench felt frozen but he’d never felt warmer in his life. He cleared his throat. “I uh, learned from my mother when I was younger. I loved to watch her dance. She was so graceful, so beautiful. I wanted to be just like her. I have learned a lot since I began my studies but I have yet to see anyone as lovely a dancer as her.”

“You must have loved her a lot.” It wasn’t intended as a question but he nodded all the same.

“She was…very kind.” He smiled. “She would have liked you.”

“She sounds lovely,” Corrin murmured, placing her cup between her legs. “How old were you when she…”

“Ah, yes. She passed away when I was…fourteen? I still remember saying good bye to her that morning.” His eyes closed and he fell silent. A lump in his throat was refusing to go away. Hoping his voice didn’t crack, he resumed the conversation. “What about you? If I recall correctly, Xander said something about his father passing away a few months ago.”

Corrin nodded. She pretended to not see the budding tears at the corners of his eyes. “He’d been sick for a long time.” She began slowly. “Xander says he used to be a kind man but the man I knew was riddled with paranoia and dementia. I wasn’t allowed to go out. I spent my whole life locked in a house. I had tutors and anything I needed but I never left the house. Still, he was the only father I knew. I miss him too.”

He looked at her in awe. “You mean to say that you’ve only recently begun experiencing the world?”

“Yes, actually. Right before his death, my birth family found me—I’m adopted,” Corrin explained quickly, noting the confused look. “My birth mother is also dead, as is my birth father but my siblings are alive and they wanted to meet me. When father was still alive, he refused to let them visit but he was at peace when he died. I don’t think he minds that I see them now.”

Laslow slumped. “How…how are you so cheerful? You’ve been through so much in so little time.”

Corrin looked at him curiously. “I should be asking you that question.”

She tapped her fingers against the paper cup nervously. Her sweater itched but it was too cold to remove. “You’re…different than I expected. You’re very shy for someone with so much bravado.”

“It’s my dashing looks, they’re very misleading I hear,” He replied sadly, flipping his hair dramatically. She laughed. “You are not wrong however. I spent much of my youth very shy and I was terribly prone to crying.”

“No, not you!” Corrin gasped, genuinely shocked. “I could never imagine that!”

“It’s true, it’s true! I was always crying, always hiding from people! My mother started to teach me how to dance to bring a smile to my face, but my shyness only went away after she passed.”

“What did you do?”

“I learned how to flirt,” he answered honestly. He laughed at himself. “I am aware it sounds bizarre but it became much easier to approach people when I could flirt my way around my shyness.”

Laslow turned to look at her. She could feel the heat in her cheeks rise as his violet-blue eyes met hers. Embarrassed, she looked away. He swallowed nervously. “I…I have to admit you have me a bit puzzled here though. You make me feel more relaxed than I’ve felt in years.”

She laughed breathily, unable to face him just yet. She wasn’t sure why he made her so nervous but she _was_ sure that telling him that would give him the wrong idea. “I’m glad,” she managed to squeak out.

He snickered. “Very poised, my dear.”

Abashed and embarrassed, she finally looked up. “Oh, like you’re one to talk—“

She froze. She hadn’t realized he’d been so close. Their faces were so close, she could feel his breathe warming her face. Staring at each other blankly, they both backed away slowly. “I…seem to have forgotten what we were discussing,” Laslow murmured, unable to look away. He laughed nervously. “Um…s-so what are you plans for the future then?”

“My…plans?”

“Yes, what are you planning on doing with your new found freedom?” He was still struggling to find his words.

“Oh!” Corrin suddenly remembered her hot cocoa. Reaching down, she quickly brought the cup up for a quick sip. It was a good fast way to clear her head. “Well, to be honest, I’m not really sure what I want to do. I spent my life indoors, yes, but I never really desired anything aside from seeing the world. I guess it would be nice to see the world but until I know where I want to go, I think I would like to stay here with my family.”

“That’s lovely.”

“Yes, I actually started working to try and support them.” She shrugged, unconsciously leaning into his shoulder. “Without Father, it’s up to Camilla, Xander, and I to provide for Leo and Elise.”

“I didn’t know you were older than Leo.”

“By two years, yes. He’s still in high school, and Elise starts high school this coming year. So we worked out a system. Xander will cover living costs right now, while Camilla and I work to make sure my younger siblings can attend college when they graduate.”

Laslow leaned into her touch. A shiver ran down her spine. “It’s lovely to see a family that cares for each other so much.” He hummed quietly. “I’m sorry if this is rude, but do you miss him?”

“My father? Of course. I’m sure he didn’t want to be the way he was, it was just the disease. What about you? You miss her still, don’t you?”

“Every day.”


	5. Chapter 5

**January**

Laslow shifted uncomfortably in his seat. The man sitting across from his was his age, nearly equal in height, yet there was something incredibly off-putting about his intense stare. He tried his very best to focus on Corrin instead, who was smiling brightly as she set the plate of freshly made sandwiches on the table between them. The man’s stare penetrated the glass pot as Corrin continued working to pour out fresh cups of coffee. Laslow couldn’t tell if he was angry, upset, or simply intense. Corrin waved gently in their direction before setting back to serve the rest of the tables. Neither male spoke.

 _‘You have to meet my best friend!’_ Laslow recalled her saying last week as they walked through the park again. She’d worn a thick white winter coat that looked like a furry dress. He almost laughed at the thought of it, remembering how thickly it had engulfed her. She looked like a baby polar bear. _‘You have to meet them! Come to the café next week and I’ll introduce you to them!’_

She had failed to mention her best friend was an intimidating, stern looking person.

“Laslow, was it?”

He nearly jumped out of his chair. “Yes! Yes, my name is Laslow. I, uh, believe Corrin said your name was Silas?”

Finally, the man smiled. Laslow could feel his pulse slowing down; he was nearly certain Silas would have beaten him in the alley if he hadn’t smiled! “Yeah, I’m Silas. I’m guessing Corrin hadn’t really mentioned me before, did she?”

“No, not really.”

“That’s not too surprising,” Silas mused, leaning over to grab a sandwich slice. “We haven’t really had a chance to see each other since she started working here. It’s been a while.”

“I’m sure you must be really close, she seemed really eager to introduce us to each other.”

“She didn’t really have many friends, so I’m not sure if we qualify as best friends but yes, we’re close.” Silas glanced over his shoulder before leaning closer to whisper. “Do you get the feeling she’s trying _really hard_ to stay out of our way?”

Laslow snickered. “Yes.”

They glanced over and just as predicted, Corrin was visibly trying to keep busy. She was scrubbing a non-existent stain on a table, furiously rubbing circles on the glass table with her dry rag. They laughed quietly as they continued to watch. Her face was increasingly growing red, her gaze very focused on the table as she continued to clean.

“She’ll never look over, you know,” Silas mentioned casually. He chewed on the sandwich calmly, visibly relaxed. “She’s the most stubborn person I’ve ever met.”

“Are you a betting man?”

Silas looked at Laslow, intrigued.  “You think you can make her look over?”

“I bet you a portion of my sandwiches that she will not only look over, I will make her turn even redder.”

“That’s a pretty gutsy bet, she’s already pretty red.” Silas hummed, considering the offer. “Okay. If you can do it without calling her over as a waitress, I’ll pay for the meal.”

“Corrin said she would cover the cost today.”

Silas sighed loudly. “Of course she did. Then I’ll buy one of their cake slices for you to take home. Does that sound alright? Corrin mentioned you had a sweet tooth.”

“Make it one of the honey cakes and we’ll have a deal.” Laslow stuck out his hand, Silas grasping it tightly as he grinned.

“This should be fun, I don’t get many chances to tease her anymore. She’s so busy lately.” Silas reached over to grab his coffee, casually sipping out of the cup as Laslow cleared his throat dramatically. He smirked mischievously.

“My dear,” he said loudly. Corrin immediately turned to look at him, rag still pressed against the table. “I do wish you had time to have a cup of coffee with us, it would be lovely to continue our conversation from last time. What was it you said? You’d love to—“

“AaaaAAAAH!!”

Corrin dashed over, faced pressed nearly flush against both the boys as she shoved them into a huddle. “Stop it!” She hissed. They could feel the heat coming off her cheeks. “I know what you’re doing Silas, stop it or I’ll kick you both out and have Kagero ban you!’

Silas snickered. “But what would you love to do Corrin, I thought we shared everything with each other?”

“Shut up!” She straightened up, struggling to look composed. Glaring Laslow’s direction, she huffed. “If you tell him anything, I’ll personally make sure you don’t get to bring dates here again.”

“Are you offering to take their place?”

She sputtered incoherently. Indignantly, she reached over and took his sandwich plate and stormed off into the kitchen. The smiles slid from their faces almost instantly. Silas looked at Laslow nervously. “I think we may have upset her.”

Laslow nodded quietly, smile quickly to hide his discomfort. “Yes, well…if you excuse me, I’ll return shortly.”

He stood up, quickly making his way out to the hall that lead to the bathroom. Selena was removing old flyers from the café community board. She glanced his direction, nose wrinkling like she’d smelled something bad. “What do you want? Corrin should be up front.”

“Don’t be this way old friend.”

“You aren’t my friend. Apparently you aren’t Corrin’s either.”

Ouch. He’d forgotten how sharp her tongue was. “Severa,” he whispered softly. “Please. I would like to make sure she’s alright.”

“Yeah, you never were good with the people you _actually_ liked. Especially girls,” Severa sneered. The bite in her voice was less severe. Her shoulders fell. “She’s in the kitchen, I’ll go get her.”

“Thank you.”

He waited in the hall, absently reading the remaining flyers when Corrin emerged from the kitchen. Her cheeks were still flushed and her eyes refused to meet his. Laslow felt his heart drop. Nervous, he fiddled with hands before shoving them into his sweater pockets. “I wanted to make sure I didn’t…I um…I’m sorry if I embarrassed you.”

Corrin sighed. “It’s…it’s fine. I shouldn’t have reacted so poorly, it really only made things worse for me.” She rubbed the bridge of her nose. “It wasn’t even that embarrassing, I just—“

“It was a secret, wasn’t it?”

She nodded quietly.

He didn’t think he could possibly sink lower. “I shouldn’t have even brought it up. Embarrassing or not, it was a personal wish you shared with me. I abused that. I’m sorry.”

He reached over and took her hand. She froze. “Corrin, I cherish your friendship. I want you to know that. I…I mentioned before that I’ve never been very good at making friends, I’ll understand if you would prefer to spend some time away from each other but I…you are _my_ best friend, Corrin.”

“I don’t want you to stop talking to me Laslow,” Corrin said suddenly. She leaned against the wall, looking concerned. “It was a harmless tease, you didn’t mean anything by it. I forgive you. Now, Silas I might need to tease for a while but you were didn’t mean any harm by it.”

Laslow cringed. “I was the one who instigated the bet.”

“Oh did you now?” Corrin mused. “And why was that?”

“You looked hard pressed on not looking our direction, w-we thought teasing you might work.”

Corrin sighed. “Well you weren’t wrong. I was trying to give you two space to talk, I didn’t want to push you two to be friends. I know you don’t have an easy time making friends, I was hoping Silas might help with that.”

“You were worried about me?”

“Well, yeah. You’re my friend. You look so…lonely.” Corrin shrugged shyly, suddenly immensely aware that she had yet to pull her hand away. “I don’t know what I was thinking though, clearly the two of you combined are too powerful.”

Laslow laughed. He pulled her into a tight, short embrace. “You were being selfless and kind, that’s all.” He held her out at arm’s length. “Come sit with us for a moment when you have the chance. Silas is worried about you too, and I doubt my word will have as much power as yours will.”

She breathed out, flushed pink with embarrassment. “L-Laslow?”

“Yes, Corrin?”

“I…” She gripped his hand, causing him to turn pink. Suddenly very aware of himself, Laslow could not force his eyes up from the ground. Corrin cleared her throat. “W-would you like to come with me to my family’s for dinner sometime?”

“Y-You mean Xander—“

“O-Oh no, I meant—w-w-well…My birth family. They’re very nice, but I haven’t had dinner with them alone before—I’ve really only met Ryouma—and I’m a little n-nervous and Silas is too busy to go and I-I-I’ll understand if you don’t want to—“

He feel her quake through their touching palms. She was chewing on her lip, something she did when she was extremely nervous. And then suddenly, he wasn’t nervous at all. Leaning over, he pressed a kiss to her forehead. She stopped trembling.

“I’ll go with you,” he whispered, pulling back. His hand released hers. “Don’t worry. Tell me the date later, okay?”

She watched silently as he walked down the hall, back to the café.

She could still feel the heat from his hand in her palm.


	6. Chapter 6

**February**

If only his bravado and courage had lasted him until the date. Laslow had managed to smile throughout the entire dinner, but his heart had been pounding the whole way through. He was nearly certain that it could be heard across the table, particularly whenever Corrin smiled his way. He could blame the blush across his face on the few glasses of wine Hinoka had insisted they have during the meal.

Tipsy and ferociously red, he followed Corrin into the back of Ryouma’s car. Takumi had been giving him a particularly nasty look as they piled into the vehicle, nearly slamming the door in his face. Corrin giggled. “Don’t mind him,” she snickered, just a few shades lighter than him. “Sakura says he’s like a c-cat, it’s all huff and p-puff.”

Ryouma struggled to hide his smile, starting the car. “I wouldn’t let him hear you say that Corrin.”

“Ryouma, we don’t need a ride home, we can walk,” Corrin insisted for the third time that night. She hiccupped softly, covering her face shyly. “It’ll be okay.”

“I would feel much more at ease if I drove you both home,” Ryouma answered seriously, waiting for Takumi to get in the car. “Either way, I was going to drive Takumi to the library to study.”

“Some of us actually study for our exams,” Takumi mumbled under his breath, buckling his seat belt in. Pulling his side bag onto his lap, he peered over his shoulder back at the giggling duo. His pointed jab had missed its point. He sighed, annoyed. “I never thought Corrin would be such a lightweight.”

“She’s small,” Ryouma said calmly, pulling the car out of the driveway. “Are you sure you don’t mind walking back? It’ll be awfully late.”

“I’ll be fine; Leo will be at the library with me. We have the same professor.”

Corrin snorted. “Leo sounds like library. Leo-brary.”

Laslow burst into laughter.

Ryouma sighed. “I do hope they sober up soon. I really don’t want to leave them alone together.”

“Afraid they’ll hurt themselves?”

“Terribly.”

Laslow gasped loudly. Ryouma regretted having allowed the wine in the first place. He’d just wanted a quiet calm dinner.

“Corrin,” Laslow nearly shouted. “I just remembered! I go to school!”

“ _Fascinating,_ ” Takumi drawled sarcastically, leaning his forehead against the glass. The school was within sight, just a few more blocks and he would be free.

“You go to school!” Corrin cheered, punching the air in excitement. Her first collided with the car roof loudly. She didn’t seem to care. Laslow, on the other hand, was beginning to sober. Panic was starting to flood him as he remembered that he had a dance final in a few days and he had yet to rehearse any of the steps. Takumi seemed to notice his internal dilemma, smirking.

“Oh so you do need to study,” he muttered. “I thought that dancers wouldn’t need to do anything except show up.”

Ryouma cleared his throat. “If you would like, I can drop you off at the University as well. Takumi could check in on you and make sure everything is alright until you’re feeling a little more sober.”

Takumi instantly regretted having said anything.

“I—I would appreciate that,” Laslow slurred, struggling to stop smiling. Smiling was just so much fun. Why would he ever stop smiling? Why _should_ he ever stop smiling?

Ryouma pulled up to the curb at the edge of the University. Watching Laslow and Corrin struggle and giggle their way out of the car, he turned to Takumi. “I know you’re upset, but I would really appreciate you staying with them for a while. Corrin never told me where to drop off Laslow, he’s too drunk to tell me himself, and leaving them alone is just a disaster waiting to happen.”

Takumi huffed. “I know, I know. They shouldn’t be left alone, at least, not for a while.” He tossed his messenger bag onto his shoulder, making his way out of the car. “I’ll let Leo know so he can take Laslow home if he needs to. He should know where he lives, or at least, knows someone who will.”

“Thank you Takumi.”

“Yeah, yeah. Thanks Ryouma.”

“You’re a good brother Takumi.”

His face flushed pink. “Y-yeah, well, I have to go.” He mumbled, closing the car door as gently as possible. Ryouma pulled away from the curb and drove off. Corrin was struggling to keep her balance, but was looking a few shades less pink. Laslow seemed split between lucid moments and giggling fits. Sighing, Takumi dug into his pocket and pulled out his phone. Leo would not be pleased to see his sister like this.

* * *

 “She didn’t tell you she was a lightweight, did she?”

“I think that answer is obvious,” Takumi grumbled, flipping through the glossary of his politics textbook. “They’ve been like this for about an hour now.”

He looked up, glumly watching his sister and Laslow balancing off each other in the middle of the room. They couldn’t study in the library with a pair of (loud) drunks so Leo suggested studying in the music building, where noise was to be expected. No one was around to complain and the building was empty so there was minimal chance of second hand embarrassment. Leo watched curiously as Corrin wobbly spun for the third time.

“Is she…dancing?”

“I think that’s what they’re doing. I haven’t really been trying to pay attention. Hey Corrin, what are you doing?”

“P-Pirouette!” She exclaimed, snickering upon saying the word. Laslow smiled at her warmly, throwing his arms up in response.

“Perfect form my dear! Again, once more!”

Leo frowned. “You know, the more I look at him, the less I believe that he’s drunk.”

“He only had two glasses, I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s sober already.”

“How many did Corrin have?”

“Five. I think.”

Leo glared at him. “You should have—“

“If you’re going to tell me that I should have stopped her, I want you to think about if _you_ could have stopped her and then finish that sentence.”

Leo’s mouth snapped shut. Huffing, he turned back to his book. “So what do you make of him?”

“Who, Laslow? He seems like the type of guy who’d flirt with a post if it’d give him a number.”

“Well you aren’t wrong…” Leo hummed softly, peering up once more.

Their hands were entwined. Corrin was most definitely the drunk one now, with Laslow all but puppeteering her every move as she twirled in his arms. She laughed whole heartedly, delighted as he spun her again. He smiled, eyes glued on her every move.

“I just don’t think that’s the case anymore,” he continued. “He was definitely a flirt, that’s for sure. I don’t know what to make of him anymore.”

“That’s because he’s putty now.” Takumi snorted, refusing to glance up from his notes. His exam was closing in and he was nowhere near to knowing all the terms on the test. “He melts around her and it makes him seem like someone different but I highly doubt he’ll change given the right circumstances.”

“Do you think so?” Leo rested his chin on his open palm. “Maybe it’s Corrin’s attitude getting to me, but I can’t help but think he might not feel that way anymore—oh…”

Takumi glanced up, mouth open to argue when he caught the scene before him. Corrin had her cheek pressed flush against Laslow’s. Between the mere inches that separated their lips were Laslow’s fingers. His face was bright red and he avoided looking in either brother’s direction. Instead, he gently used his still entwined hand to guide Corrin away. Motioning towards the nearby vending machine, he led her across the room with a smile. She didn’t seem to care about what had just happened.

“Well…that’s something I could have gone without seeing,” Takumi mumbled quietly, embarrassed.

“Regardless of what either of us feel about that,” Leo began awkwardly. “I think we can both agree that we know exactly how Corrin feels about him.”

“Let’s…let’s just agree to never talk about this again.”

“Agreed.”

 


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait! I'm so glad to hear that you're all enjoying the story! I'm hoping you enjoy this chapter, I made sure to make it a bit longer than usual to make up for the wait!

**March**

He hadn’t seen her since that dinner. Not because he’d been purposefully avoiding her, at least, not entirely. She’d simply been busy with work and he’d taken extra time to ensure his semester ended smoothly. A few times he’d run into Takumi and Leo walking across campus, but neither had been willing to give him as much as a glance. Some part of him was immensely grateful to avoid a conversation around a memory he was trying to avoid, but on the other, he almost wanted proof that another living being had seen what almost happened that night. It felt like a dream. A tipsy, drunk dream, but a dream all the same.

After they’d sobered up a bit, Leo had taken Corrin home and Laslow had walked home, too embarrassed to be ask for a ride himself. Since then, they’d gone on as though nothing had happened. He wasn’t sure what to make of it—what to make of himself, let alone her feelings, if they were even present in the way he thought.

And that was where he was now, he thought as he continued cleaning his apartment. Corrin would be over soon, fresh off her shift, ready to study and watch a movie with him. He swallowed nervously, the lump he felt in his throat lodged firmly despite his action.

“This isn’t a date,” he murmured. “You haven’t even asked her out to tea. You don’t even know if you want to ask her out to tea.”

That was a lie. He wanted to ask her to sit for a cup of tea. He used to tease at it. But now, he was damn near certain that if he asked, she would take it the wrong way.

“She’s very trusting,” he breathed out, exhaling loudly. The pillows felt wrong, not fluffy but not flat. He began puffing them up again. “She’s very trusting but not very perceptive. Indeed, a family trait that did not pass on.”

“Who isn’t perceptive?”

Laslow jumped, instinctively throwing the pillow at the source of the sound. Azura caught the pillow just before it hit her face, frowning. “Laslow, are you talking about that girl you have a crush on?”

“I-I do not have crushes—“

“It would be best if you didn’t lie to yourself Laslow,” Azura chided, walking over and placing the pillow back in its spot. Her bare feet made little noise as they travelled across the wooden floor. “It would also benefit you if you were dressed properly.”

He flushed pink. “I am dressed—“

“I am your roommate Laslow, I know what you wear on dates and you look like you dressed in the dark. I’m assuming that you were nervous and couldn’t decide to wear?”

He couldn’t answer.

Azura sighed. “Please take my advice Laslow; wear something you feel comfortable wearing. You will feel much better.”

“Please stay Azura,” he whispered, heart pounding in his chest. His voice wheezed softly. “I’m terribly nervous, I don’t think I’m quite ready to be alone with her again.”

“Have faith in yourself Laslow. Her opinion of you won’t change because of your clothes. You can be shy around her, if that’s what you need. From what you’ve told me of her, I do not think she will mind.”

 

* * *

 

 

Shy was an entirely separate definition of his emotions at the moment, he thought, staring at his open book. He hadn’t read a word since her arrival. He kept running his mother’s advice to him through his head. _‘Why don’t you pretend to be charming when you talk to people? It might help you overcome your shyness, if you practice talking like someone else. It’s just like dancing; if you practice, you’ll get better at it.’_

It had been sound advice at the time and even then he hadn’t taken her up on the advice until after her death, but years later and here he sat, a mere foot away from Corrin and feeling like there was weight on his chest. He’d never experienced such a horror before.

He didn’t like it.

“Laslow?”

Instantly, the charm appeared. It was just second nature now. It felt so false with her. “Yes, my dear?”

She smiled wryly, placing her pencil down on the table. “Do you mind if we take a break? I’m a bit hungry, and this textbook is starting to get to me.” Corrin groaned, burying her face into the palms of her hands. “Honestly, I can already hear Leo complaining. He’s got better grades than me and he’s just an early track student. Whoever thought letting high school students take college courses during their high school track wouldn’t give them a big head clearly didn’t have any siblings.”

Laslow struggled to hide his smile. Leo most definitely had a reason to be proud of his work; not many high school students could juggle both high school and college course work. Corrin was dedicated and determined but she wasn’t the best student either. At least, that’s what he’d heard down the Corrin family grape vine.

“Isn’t Takumi around the same age?”

“Yeah, but he’s actually enrolled in the University. He just managed to skip a grade, that’s all. And he’s not as pointed when I mention that my grades aren’t stellar.”

“They love you dearly.”

“I know, I know,” She sighed. “I’m just cranky. Camilla always said I get cranky when I’m hungry.”

“I can make us a snack, if you’d like? Perhaps some fresh fruit?”

“That sounds great, thanks!”

He rose to his feet, marching to the kitchen without so much as waiting for her to change her mind. He barely stand to glance at her more than a few seconds without the blood rushing to his face. The fridge door squeaked as it swung open, the sound of plastic unsticking from the glass shelves as he lifted out the box of fresh berries. Turning to place the berries on the counter, he was met with Corrin’s close face instead of the kitchen galley. Laslow screamed, prompting her to scream in return.

“C-Corrin! You startled me!” he wheezed out, berry box crushed to his chest. In his terror, he’d all but smashed the box against him. The juices felt fresh against his shirt but he was more concentrated on her frightened expression than the cold liquid dripping down his chest. She looked just as scared as he felt.

“I-I’m so sorry! I was coming to ask if I could help with anything, I didn’t mean to scare you! I thought you heard me!”

“I didn’t!”

“I should have said something—I’m so, so sorry.” She looked him over, up and down, concerned. “Oh…your shirt.”

“It’s alright, nothing a wash won’t fix.” Laslow reached around her to toss what remained of the berries into the trash. The box would have to be washed before being placed in the recycling or it would attract house flies. He set it on the counter.

“But it’s such a light fabric, do you think it’ll be alright? What if the stain doesn’t come out?” She reached out and tugged the shirt gently. The celeste button up was stained red and purple, a giant splotch on an otherwise delicate material. She vaguely recognized it from a few dates he’d brought to the café. She hardly saw him there anymore. Corrin was almost worried he’d lost his touch.

He laughed, waving her off with a gentle brush of his hand. Moving around her in the small kitchen, he started down the hall. “Don’t worry about it; I’ve done plenty of laundry in my day,” he teased. “I’ll be right back. Feel free to help yourself to anything in kitchen.”

She took his advice, turning towards the cabinets and searching for something to eat. It felt boring to return to sandwiches when she made so many at work, but having been given the option (and with her hunger growing upon opening the fridge), she opted for toasting some bread with a few fresh vegetables and cheese. By the time Laslow had returned, the meal had finished toasting and she was pouring a fresh glass of water out for both of them. He was sporting a cozy woven sweater.

Corrin smiled shyly, carefully placing the glasses down. “That’s more you.”

“Excuse me?”

“That’s just…it’s very you. You’re always dressed really well, like you’re on a date or ready to get one. You’re a warm person. It’s sweet, like wrapping yourself in a warm blanket.” She shrugged. “I don’t know, I just…I feel like that sweater suits you more than anything else I’ve seen you wear.”

Laslow chuckled, stepping into the kitchen to reach plates he knew would be just out of her reach. She waited patiently for him to hand out two plates. He leaned back against the counter as she set the still warm food on their plates. “I never thought I would be compared to a sweater.”

“I never thought I would have so much fun with the flirt from the café,” she teased back.

He couldn’t stop gazing at her. She noticed, face slowly flushing pink. Embarrassed, she looked to the food. “What is it?” She asked shyly.

Her hair framed her face perfectly. Laslow stared, mesmerized. He swallowed nervously. “Corrin, I…Do you remember the night we had dinner with your birth family?”

“Yes?” She whispered, slowly meeting his gaze. His voice was barely above a whisper but she still managed to hear his words. She’d grown accustomed to hearing his voice above loud crowds, hearing his laughter through the grinding of the coffee beans. She could never, not hear his voice.

“Do…you remember going to the school with your brother?”

She licked her lips nervously. That night had been a haze. “I…I remember dancing with you,” she replied honestly. “You twirled me. It was like dancing on air.”

His heart skipped a beat.

“Is…is that what it’s like for you?”

His attention snapped back towards her. “What is?”

“Dancing,” she murmured, leaning closer. He could feel the warmth radiating from her body. “Is that what it’s like for you? Like you’re floating on air?”

His forehead touched hers. They could feel each other breathe.

“Would you like to feel that again?”

He closed the distance between them. It was barely a moment, could barely be considered more than a brush against the lips but the spark was real. His heart skipped a beat and it was over. He opened his eyes to meet her gaze, her eyelids fluttering momentarily before leaning in for a fuller kiss. This one was deeper, she could feel him lose the initial hesitation and lean in. Her hands reached up to touch his face, his hands following to cover hers. They broke apart.

Corrin could feel her chest heaving with each breath but she didn’t pay it attention. Licking her lips, she turned shy again. “So um…was that—“

“Shh,” he exhaled, forehead still pressed to hers. His eyes remained closed but he smiled warmly. “Just…breathe.”

She nodded quietly, relaxing her shoulders. She hadn’t even noticed they were bunched up with nerves. “Was…was this ok? I’m…I’m not sure how this works, honestly.”

“How what works?”

She blushed. “R-Relationships…liking someone. I…was pretty limited in who I knew—“

“I remember,” Laslow mused, hands traveling down to massage her arms. “It’s okay, no one is.”

He gently pushed away from her, looking at her sincerely. “Corrin, if this is something you want, I’m willing to work with you. Whatever you want, whatever you need, whatever you feel—I’ll be here for you. But if this isn’t something you want to try just yet—“

“I do.” Corrin’s heart beat wildly in her chest. She was nodding furiously but she didn’t notice. “I—I mean—I—“

“It’s okay, Corrin,” he chuckled, pulling her into an embrace. Her hair flooded his face, the scent of her shampoo fresh to his senses. He could feel her relax in his arms. “Take your time. I understand.”

She nodded, burying further into his embrace. The softness of his sweater set her even more at ease. “What now though?” she asked softly, voice muffled through the woven sweater.

“Well, right now, we should eat and keep studying. The last thing we need is your brothers teasing you because they think I’ve become a bigger distraction than what they thought before.”

“What do you mean?” He patted her head, sighing heavily as he attempted to not relive the memory.

“For your sake and theirs, just don’t ask them to talk about that night at the school.”


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for the long wait! I've really appreciated the comments and kudos, it's been really encouraging throughout the last few weeks (I've had to finish my undergrad, pack/move, and start graduate school in the matter of a days!). I'll do my best to keep posting on a regular schedule from now on, but thank you all again for the support and love! <3

**April**

“Corrin, what are you reading?”

Corrin snapped the book shut, startling the other students around her as she fumbled to hide the book under her legs. The nearby librarian looked at her peculiarly, as if undecided on whether or not to call her out on the loud display. Subaki, on the other hand, seemed much more amused.

“Corrin, is that what I think it is?” He asked teasingly, reaching over the back of the armchair she was sitting in and plucking the book out of her still fumbling hands. Subaki smoothly turned the book to see the cover. “ _A romance novel_?”

“Shut up—“She scrambled to snatch the book back, yanking it from his hands and pressing it to her chest. Corrin could tell she was blushing but at this point she was reaching beyond embarrassment and into annoyed. “It’s none of your business!”

“You’re Sakura’s sister by blood, making my best friend’s sister my friend by default,” Subaki explained dismissively. Corrin failed to see the connection. He walked around and took the seat across from her. The librarian seemed worried that they would disrupt the silence again, turning back to her piles of returned materials. “So tell me young Corrin, what are you doing here in the public library, hiding in the corner, reading raunchy books?”

“ _They are not raunchy,”_ she sputtered, hushing into a whisper. “Stop talking like that, people are starting to stare!”

“Well why else would you be reading something like that?” He teased, sitting so straight it was hard to not feel overwhelmed by his smug attitude. Corrin refused to shrink to his demeanor, instead sitting up straighter to compete against him. It was a shame he was so much taller. It didn’t help the impact of her action.

“I happen to _like_ reading romance novels.” She answered curtly, placing the book firmly in her lap. “I thought it would be nice to take a break and read something I like.”

“Oh, well forgive me. I assumed it might have had something to do with the date I heard you’d be having sometime soon.” Subaki examined his flawlessly clean fingernails, openly smirking as Corrin sputtered, struggling to find intelligible words again. “Lovely Sakura was telling me about your upcoming date; or was that supposed to be a secret? I didn’t know.”

Corrin forced herself to find patience once more. “Why are you doing this? What have I done to you? What do you want?” she muttered irritably, taking one deep breath after another.

“I want a favor.” He whispered back, suddenly falling from teasing to serious. “In fact, it is a very serious favor.”

“Should you really be harassing me then?” She murmured, but all the same, she nodded. Subaki teased her often but he never meant ill by it and he was Sakura’s best friend. She was timid, but her friends spoke true of her character and judgement.

“I believe you work with Severa, correct?” He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a small envelope. “Could you deliver this to her? It’s important that she gets this in person and I unfortunately do not have the time to see her anytime soon.”

“Sure,” she agreed, tucking the envelope into her pocket. “Do you mind me asking why it’s so important?”

“She lost it at my place the other day, it’s rather important to her. I’d appreciate it. Anyways, back to you!” Subaki began gleefully, crossing one leg over the other. “Looking forward to the big day? Any exciting plans? Sakura says she’s going to bring Oboro to pick out your outfit, it must be fancy.”

“No, I just know it’s going to be a picnic at the park. I…actually didn’t realize Oboro was going to be there.” Corrin hesitated. “I don’t…suppose you could do my hair?”

Subaki looked at her in shock. “Excuse me?”

“Well, I usually have Camilla do my hair but she’s not in town right now and your hair always looks so glossy and sleek…” She shrugged, trying to appear more nonchalant than she felt. Somehow, she felt the bravado wasn’t really working. “You don’t have to, I just—“

“Sakura wasn’t kidding, you really do like this Laslow fellow, don’t you?” Subaki hummed softly. He smiled. “Fine, since you were so kind to admit my flawless hair care—as if there was any doubt—I will do as you ask. You’ll be leaving from work, correct? I’ll arrive in the morning to do your hair so you don’t need to worry about leaving early.”

“Thank you Subaki.”  
  


* * *

  
He’d been right on point—as arrogant and conceited as he could be at times, Subaki did come through. Oboro had listened to her siblings pleas (be it Takumi or Sakura, she wasn’t sure) and had left a simple dress and coat for her to wear. Comfortable enough to wear at work, pretty enough for a date. A first date, she thought to herself, hurrying to put the dirty plates she’d collected in the sink. As she handed off the larger dishes to Kaden and Keaton, who were busier arguing with each other over personal appearances to be doing any plausible work. She’d just spotted Severa walking in for her shift and she’d yet to deliver the letter. Laslow would be here any moment now to pick her up.

“Severa, I have something for you!”

Severa glanced over momentarily before returning back to tying her apron. “What is it?”

“Subaki gave me an envelope for you, he said it was important—“

Severa flew over to Corrin’s side, snatching the envelope out of her hand. Without another word, she slit open the envelope and dumped its contents out into her palm. Out of the envelope fell a ring, of which she immediately put on her finger. Corrin stared, dumbfounded.

“I have to admit, that isn’t exactly what I expected.” She examined the ring from a distance, watching Severa gently run her finger over it. “When Subaki said you’d left something important behind, I assumed it was something along the lines of money or a card.”

“It was my mothers,” Severa murmured, reaching back to finish tying her apron. “I didn’t think he’d bother…”

“Returning it?” Corrin smiled weakly. “I know he can be pretentious, but he isn’t unkind.”

“I was,” she mumbled, deep in thought. “I didn’t expect…nothing. Your date is out front, he’s waiting for you.”

Corrin watched as Severa exited into the refrigerated room. Kaden was watching. Keaton nudged him quietly, and they resumed their work. Somehow, Corrin thought to herself as she headed out to the front, she felt as if she were missing out on something important.  
 

* * *

 

“A ring, you say?” Laslow inquired quietly, watching Corrin discreetly as she stopped to smell each of the flowers. They’d decided to take a walk through the enclosed flower garden in the park after a light lunch. Something about watching her stop to smell each flower was soothing in a way he couldn’t quite describe. “It was most likely her mother’s then.”

“She mentioned that, but what’s weird is that she didn’t think he’d return it.”

“Yes, well Severa doesn’t necessarily expect the best of things from people.” Laslow smiled warmly as she stopped to smell another flower. “She always tried her best to appear aloof, so I suppose she was surprised to discover he realized how important the ring was—“

“Shh!”

Corrin placed a hand atop his head and shoved him down to crouch beside her. He squawked in surprise, barely managing to regain his balance in time to prevent from falling over. Corrin pointed through the tall flowers towards a young couple outside the gardens gate. “It’s them!”

For a moment, Laslow was too distracted by the smell of her hair, having basically shoved within mere centimeters of her head. However, he regained his wits and peered through the leaves. Severa was indeed nearby, hovering around whom he could only assume was Subaki. Knowing her as long as he had, Laslow could see that she was highly embarrassed, even from that distance. “Is that Subaki?” He whispered in her ear. His breath tickled. “He’s so tall.”

“He did my hair this morning, he wasn’t wearing any of that,” Corrin breathed, clearly excited. “I mean he always dresses nicely but he’s clearly trying to impress.”

They watched in silence as the two shuffled about each other awkwardly, Severa handing Subaki a small box that Corrin recognized as a cake box from the café. She attempted to walk away almost instantly, but Subaki reached out and grasped her hand. He seemed to say something that surprised her, but she relaxed shortly after. Slowly, she released his hand from hers and walked away. Corrin looked at Laslow in disbelief. “She’s on her lunch break! She never takes off from her lunch break! What could they have been doing?”

Laslow shrugged silently, still gazing at Subaki. The taller man was fiddling with the box, almost nervously. Slowly, he began to walk out towards the entrance of the park. “I’m not sure…it almost seems as if they like each other.”

Corrin nodded excitedly. “This is so cool!”

“Hm…I wonder if they will be good for each other.”

Corrin hesitated. She hadn’t expected him to sound so unsure. “What do you mean?” She asked, tucking her dress beneath her still crouched legs. Laslow sighed worriedly.

“It’s just…I worry for her. She is one of my only friends, and while she seems tough, she’s still very doubtful of herself. It’s really just bravado. Severa holds herself to such high standards, I worry she might open herself to someone and disappoint herself in the end, regardless of how someone might feel about her.”

“Ah,” Corrin began gently. “I understand. You’re worried about her heart being broken.”

“She really does have a good heart, despite how brisk and tough she seems.”

“It might surprise you, but from what I’ve seen, Subaki is the same. Ever the perfectionist, but never quite perfect enough for his standards. He’s very anxious to seem flawless, but doesn’t want to admit it. I think that they would make good friends at the very least. Maybe seeing their desire to be perfect reflected in someone else might help them see how harmful it is to treat themselves this way.”

“I do hope so.”

“You’re very sweet Laslow,” Corrin hummed warmly. “Are you worried about your heart being broken too?”

Laslow blushed, meeting her gaze in surprise but immediately looking away in mild shame. She read him all too well. “I must say Corrin, you’ve got me a bit cornered here,” he murmured shyly, reaching out to pluck a flower from a low stalk. He pressed the rose into her hand gently. She chuckled as he buried his face into her neck, knowing fully well it was to avoid her prior question.

“I don’t think we’re allowed to pluck flowers from a city garden.”

“I don’t believe they’ll mind one little budding rose,” he mumbled. Corrin turned to face him, smiling. He was peering up at her through the locks of her hair, smiling back. “A rose for my rose.”

She laughed, pressing her palm into his face. He made a muffled complaint, pulling away and bouncing to his feet. “Shall we proceed with our walk?” He offered, taking her hand in his. She allowed him to help her to her feet.

“Absolutely.”


	9. Chapter 9

**May**

“Would you dance for me?”

Laslow nearly dropped the dish in his hand, fumbling to catch the soapy plate as it slipped from his grasp. Fingers pinched tightly around the round porcelain, he struggled to regain his composure.

“I-I beg your pardon?”

Corrin was splayed out on the floor near the fan, feet high in the air and hair fanned out across the textbooks she was refusing to read. She smiled faintly, deep in thought. “Would you dance for me sometime? I would love to see you dance.”

“You’ve seen me dance before,” Laslow answered, embarrassed. He’d hoped that inviting her to study in his cooler apartment would be better than studying in the noisy café he’d found her but it seemed her desire to procrastinate ran deeper than he’d initially been lead to believe. “I don’t think it would be any different.”

“ _No,_ ” Corrin drawled tiredly, stretching out even more before letting out a relieved sigh as she felt her back pop comfortably into place. “I’ve heard that you dance, I’ve supposedly danced with you drunk but I’ve _never_ seen you dance.”

“Oh.” Laslow frowned. She was right, now that he thought about it. She actually hadn’t seen him dance. He considered it carefully. “Well, my students have a dance recital that I’ll be leading soon—“

“No, no,” Corrin interrupted. “I don’t want to see you dance with someone. I want to see _you_ dance.”

From the floor, she could see his face growing pink. Snickering, she rolled off the books and bounced to her feet. Darting over into the kitchen, she vaulted to sit on the counter beside him. Grabbing the light blue towel under her leg, she carefully began drying the wet dishes in the drying rack. He still hadn’t said anything. “What is it Laslow?”

“I do believe you are harassing me,” Laslow cried dramatically, brushing a fake tear from his cheek. The soap smeared against his face. He pulled her towel clad hand and dabbed it lightly over his still flushed cheek. “There are laws against harassment I’ll have you know.”

“Oh whatever will I do,” she huffed back, allowing him full reign of her hand. “But really Laslow, why won’t you dance for me?”

“I’m far too shy.”

“If I didn’t know you, I would call that a shameful lie.”

“It’s true.”

“I believe you,” Corrin reassured gently. She pulled her hand away and resumed drying the dishes. “I really do wish you felt more comfortable being yourself around me.”

“I can’t help it,” he murmured softly, gaze glued to the sink. “Dancing is…very intimate to me. I haven’t shared it with anyone.”

“I understand.”

He looked at her shyly from the corner of his eye. “But do understand Corrin, I would not mind sharing it with you.” Laslow shuffled, embarrassed. “I just…need a bit more time.”

“Laslow.”

Corrin grasped his face between the palms of her hand, pressing her lips to his forehead. “I understand,” she whispered. “Don’t worry. Why don’t I help you with the dishes?”

“Go _study_ Corrin,” Laslow exclaimed, laughing. He brushed a soapy hand across her face. “Don’t think I don’t see you procrastinating! I brought you here to study, not to flirt.”

Corrin pouted. “This is so much better though. Books are boring. Chores are fun.”

“I’m not sure if I should take you seriously.”

“Well, kind of. I never really got to do anything when Father was still alive. I got to read a lot and I still enjoy it, but chores involve so much more action.” She giggled. “I’m probably the only one at work who enjoys getting assigned after hours cleaning duty.”

“Well, regardless, I refuse to enable you.” He stated firmly, straightening up in defiance.

She rolled her eyes, jumping off the counter. It was a tall drop for her stature, she realized as the impact rang through her heels and up her legs. She regretted not climbing down but Laslow would have teased her mercilessly. She didn’t notice him struggling to hide his smile, fully aware that she was far too proud to ask for help getting off the counter. “Fine then,” she huffed. “I’ll go back to my books.”

“I’m sure you will.”

“I’ll study so hard I’ll graduate before you.”

“Mhm.”

“I’m going to be so smart, you and your cute accent won’t be able to compare to me.”

“Absolutely.”

“I’ll start tomorrow—“

“Corrin.”  
  
“…Today.”  
  
He smiled, watching as she glumly shuffled out of the kitchen and into the living room. “Oh,” he exclaimed suddenly, sticking his head out around the corner. “Are you free coming weekend?”

“Yes, I don’t work this weekend. Why?”

“Azura is graduating and we’re hosting a small party in our apartment. I was wondering if you’d like to join me.” He winked. “You know, as my _date_.”

She beamed. “Of course! I’d love to!”

“Great! I’m so happy you can make it! I think you’ll adore her.”

 

* * *

 

 

Corrin wasn’t sure what was more impressive, that so many people showed up for a graduation or how many people could fit in a relatively small apartment. Slowly and shyly weaving in between people, she scanned the area for Laslow. She’d never thought she’d have trouble finding him in his own apartment.

“Are you alright?”

She barely heard the voice over the loud chatter of the crowd, but suddenly, a slender girl was at her side. Hair near floor length and dressed in a simple white dress, she gently grasped Corrin’s forearm. “Oh, you must be Corrin.” She said softly, offering a small smile. “It’s nice to meet you finally, my name is Azura.”

“It’s nice to you meet you Azura, I’ve heard so much about you.” Corrin replied honestly, smiling widely. Laslow always sounded so fond of her. She sounded as sweet as he’d made her out to be. “Congratulations on graduating!”

“Thank you! I suppose you must be looking for Inigo?”

“I’m sorry, what did you say?” Corrin said, raising her voice to meet the volume of the crowd. Azura seemed very nice but her voice was awfully quiet and in a party, it wasn’t ideal for a conversation. “I can’t hear you!”

“Oh Inigo—you know, Laslow,” she repeated calmly, pointing towards the middle of the room. People were clearing out the middle as though something was about to happen. “He’s right there—“

The crowd parted and began to cheer. Corrin managed to see a few familiar faces in the crowd, honestly surprised to see Hinoka and Xander in the crowd. She wasn’t aware they’d known Azura. She’d have to ask them later how they knew each other. The town couldn’t be that small after all.

“Thank you everyone for coming this afternoon,” called out Laslow in a tone that demanded attention. Only Corrin could tell he was nervous. He was shy in front of large groups of people, and while there couldn’t possibly be more than 30 people or so, it was still a large number for him. She smiled his way, which he reciprocated with a discreet smile of his own. “Let’s give Azura one final applause for graduating!”

The room filled with screams and applause, Corrin and Azura both wincing despite themselves under the noise. As the noise died down and Laslow continued to give his speech, Azura turned to Corrin once again. “I’m glad to see you’re here. I know you aren’t here for me, but he really appreciates your support.”

“Oh,” Corrin blinked, shocked. “Well, you’re welcome. I guess. Have you known Laslow long?”

“Oh yes,” Azura said quietly, watching as Laslow motioned towards her, smiling politely in return. “I met him around the time his mother died; we were attending the same grief counseling group. I had also lost my mother at the same time.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

“It’s alright. She was very sweet and she loved me until the very end. But while it was a sad chapter of my life, I am happy to have met Inigo.”

Corrin smiled weakly, confused. “I’m sorry, but I don’t think I know an Inigo. Laslow hasn’t talked about an Inigo before. Are you three close as well?”

“Oh!” Azura’s eyes widened in shock. Embarrassed, she averted her gaze. “I-I’m sorry, I assumed he’d told you—“

“Told me what?” Corrin asked genuinely, concerned by Azura’s sudden withdrawal.

“Well you see,” Azura began tentatively. “Laslow _is_ Inigo. Inigo is his birth name. He started going by Laslow after his mother died so only his closest friends know his old name. I’m sorry, I thought he’d told you already.”

“No,” Corrin whispered softly. “No, he didn’t. We had heard rumors that he wasn’t actually named Laslow. But I thought they were just jokes.”

“I’m sure there’s a reason, he hasn’t said anything yet,” Azura attempted to reassure. “He probably doesn’t find it very important anymore—“

“Azura.”

Both young women looked up at the source of the voice. Laslow smiled shyly from the middle of the room. “So, um. For those of you who do not know, Azura has the loveliest voice. She studied ancient history but her biggest gift is her voice. And I’m assuming that even fewer know that Azura has been asking me to dance to one of her songs for years.”

The crowd laughed. Corrin could feel her heart sink in her chest. Azura seemed hyper aware of what was happening, unable to remove her gaze from Corrin. Laslow continued. “Well, I suppose that today would be a good day to fulfill my promise.” He smiled happily as he approached and pulled her into the crown. “Azura is a great inspiration to my own art and I hope that she never stops using her voice to bring joy to others.”

Azura smiled back. The room fell to a hush as she opened her mouth and began to sing. At first, Corrin was enchanted like the rest of the crown, drawn in by the sincerity of her voice. But then, she saw him slide his foot across the floor and the magic was broken. She watched in silence as Laslow (or Inigo?) began dancing inside the crowd formed circle. One foot lifted from the ground and the other dipped back onto the wooden surface so softly she wasn’t sure it had left the ground in the first place.

A tightness clenched at her throat, threatening to overwhelm her. She struggled to swallow her ridiculous jealousy, reminding herself that he was allowed to have close friends and he was allowed to have personal histories he didn’t want or need to share. But watching him dance in front of strangers, only days after having been told he considered it too intimate to share…it hurt. Her throat felt tight as she swallowed her hurt, and she forced herself to look up despite feeling the heat coming off her cheeks.

Her eyes met Xander’s. He’d never needed to make an expression for her to know what he was thinking. She could feel her façade shatter, her lip quivering as her brave face shattered. Corrin wasn’t sure or how Xander had crossed the room full of guests but she didn’t fight him as he gently guided her out of the room. She followed him out into the hall and down into the staircase. And that’s where they stood, him waiting quietly and patiently for her to either compose herself or release the valve of emotions threatening to boil over.

Eventually, the emotions won out and she began to cry.

She didn’t see the end of the performance. She didn’t know whether she could watch any longer. Instead, Xander drove her home and she sat in her room, unable to decide whether her emotions were valid or unreasonable.

Somehow though, she felt utterly betrayed. And it broke her heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sleep is for the lucky few who don't know they are the lucky few. 
> 
> Next chapter is the last chapter! I promise it will be a happy one! Thank you for all the support! <3


	10. Chapter 10

**June**

“So, what are you going to do?”

Laslow sighed heavily, hand running through his hair for the third time since Odin and Severa had arrived. Severa gave him another one of her piercing glares. He ignored her, far too focused on his problem than whatever judgement she was passing on him at that moment. “I’m not quite sure to be honest.”

“Laslow, I think not telling her the moment you met was a tragic mistake.” Odin chimed in sadly, patting Laslow’s shoulder gently. “After all, a name is very important when introducing myself.”

“Gee, you think?” Severa snapped, throwing him daggers from a distance. She busied herself with cleaning his abundance of dirty dishes. Laslow’s recently broken heart seemed to affect his ability to clean, let alone come up with solutions. “If you weren’t such a womanizer from the start and you actually made friends you shared your name with, this wouldn’t be a problem in the first place.”

“Don’t be a hypocrite _Selena,_ or have you shared your name with Subaki yet?” Odin chided sternly. Severa shut her mouth, bright red in fury.

“Shut up, _Owain._ ”

Resuming her scrubbing, she fell silent. Odin turned back to Laslow, who had his hands buried deep into his hair. Gently pulling his hands down by each wrist, Odin smiled encouragingly. “I’m sure she’ll forgive you if you ask.”

“I would but I’m not sure how,” Laslow mumbled, embarrassed. “Xander said the same thing and I feel _awful_ but I’m not sure how to even begin apologizing. You know me, I’ve never been very good with my words.”

“Then show her you dumb ass,” Severa muttered quietly, still crimson. Laslow glanced at her through his messy hair.

“What do you mean?”

“Well you’re a dancer, aren’t you all about being expressive through action?” Severa seemed less angry than embarrassed now, refusing to lift her gaze from the dishes. “Write her a letter or dance for her or…something. Whatever. I don’t care.”

Odin beamed. “I think that’s a splendid idea!”

Bouncing to his feet, Odin hurried over towards the desk where Laslow kept his notebooks. Pulling out a handful of paper and a few pens, he rushed back, flopping down beside his friend. “Here,” he said, shoving the items into Laslow’s hands. “Write her a letter! Be the man of romance we know you to be! Nothing speaks to the heart than the powerful words that spring from your chest—ten pages! No! Twenty!”

“I think one page will be enough Odin.”

Laslow smiled gently, nodding. “You’re right. Thank you, my friends.”

“I’m not your friend.”

“Yes, she is. Pay no heed to her poor attitude.”

“Pay no heed to his terrible grammar.”

 

* * *

 

“Corrin dear, you have mail.”

Camilla leaned over the reclining chair, her hair dangling over Corrin’s nose, threatening to tickle out a sneeze. Nose scrunched up in discomfort, Corrin grabbed the envelope dangling between the lilac locks of hair. Turning it over to see the front, her heart skipped a beat.

“Oh my,” Camilla murmured. “I wasn’t expecting that.”

“I’m…I’m not sure if I want to open it.” Corrin said slowly, taking in the detail of Laslow’s slanted cursive. His hand writing was delicate and for a moment, she forgot she was still upset with him. Almost instantly however, that moment was gone.

“Well why not? You haven’t spoken to each other in weeks, and here he is making the first move.” Camilla exclaimed, walking around the recliner to take a seat beside her sister. “And a letter? That’s very personal. He could have just sent you a text, this took time and thought.”

“I know I just…I feel bad.”

“Why?” Camilla crossed one leg over the other, leaning onto the chair arm and closer to Corrin. Corrin shrugged, opening her mouth momentarily before shutting it and shaking her head instead.

“I feel guilty. I don’t want him to feel like he needs to apologize. I was being selfish. He’s allowed to have secrets.”

“But you want him to feel like he can share anything with you, right?”

Corrin curled into the chair, letter tucked between the chair and her legs. Sensing her discomfort, Camilla stood up and went to the kitchen. After a few silent moments, she returned with a fresh cup of tea. Placing the cup on the small coffee table that sat between the two chairs, she took a seat again. “Corrin honey, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this upset. Even when Father tried to keep you from being friends with Silas, you were much more willing to talk than now. What’s so hard to say?”

“I-I don’t know,” Corrin admitted reluctantly, shifting uncomfortably in her chair. “I just feel like I made a big deal about nothing and I’ve dragged Xander into this and it’s a huge mess and I don’t know how to fix it.”

“Xander knows this is between you and Laslow, don’t worry about him.” Camilla reassured. “I’m sure he’s spoken to Laslow, but we know you’re an adult Corrin. You’re perfectly capable of resolving your own issues, however it is you’d like to do so.”

“I just feel so guilty.”

“It sounds to me like you just care a lot about how you’ve made Laslow feel.”

“I do!” Corrin exclaimed, rolling her head against the back of her chair. Her hair stuck to the suede cover as the friction created static. Frustrated, Corrin furiously attempted to smooth it with her hands to no avail. Sighing loudly, she threw her arms down against the arm rests. “I do care! Of course I care!”

“Because he’s important to you.”

“Yes!”

“Because his opinion matters to you.”

“Yes!”

“Because you love him.”

“Ye—“Corrin froze, mouth clamping shut as she blushed bright red. Camilla chuckled innocently, instinctively leaning away when Corrin leaned forward to weakly smack her arm. “C-Camilla! That’s not funny!”

“But you almost said yes!” Camilla reminded cheerily, grabbing her sisters’ hands between her own. “Think about it dear; why else would you be so upset? You don’t need be embarrassed about loving someone. You love your friend Silas after all, don’t you?”

“You know that’s not what you meant,” Corrin grumbled, pulling her hands away to play with the slightly wrinkled letter. “I know what you meant.”

“Well Corrin, I don’t know what it is you’ll decide to do and I know you’re feeling frustrated, but I do think you’ll find that if you open the letter, you might be one step forward.” Camilla patted Corrin’s forearm gently as she rose to her feet. “I say give the letter a chance. There’s nothing wrong with just reading it.”

“I don’t like how logical you sound. Leo is the logical one.”

“I’m hurt to hear you say that schmookins.”

“There’s the Camilla I know.”

 

* * *

 

“I can’t believe you agreed to meet him,” Silas mumbled under his breath, handing Corrin her stuffed duffle bag. Corrin rolled her eyes. “You were so upset about this a week ago, and now you’re here at the beach, going on a two day trip with him. I don’t really get what’s going through your head.”

“He said he wanted to talk in person but wanted to have time to say what was on his mind.” Corrin replied calmly, slinging the bag over her shoulder. The ocean wind was chilly but the warm sand blowing around her calves proved the weather was warmer than the wind let on. Smiling, she reached over and grasped Silas’ arms firmly. “I’ll be fine Silas.”

He looked unconvinced. “I know you well enough that I can’t convince you to change your mind. But could you at least promise to call for a ride if things don’t work out? I’d hate to find out you spent 48 hours miserable and alone.”

Corrin laughed, embracing him warmly. Silas reciprocated the embrace, wrapping his arms flush around her and squeezing tight. Giggling as he lifted her an inch off the ground, she complained quietly as he buried his face into her hair. “You’re my best friend,” Silas grumbled, still upset. “I don’t really know what’s up but I want you to be happy.”

“I know,” Corrin murmured softly. “But I can’t decide what’ll make me happy if you don’t put me on the ground.”

“No.”

“You can have free reign of my movie collection while I’m gone.”

Hesitantly, Silas slowly placed her back on the ground. Blowing a puff of air into her face, he grinned and turned back to the car. Corrin watched in silence, adjusting her hair back into place as he backed out of the driveway and into the street. Inhaling deeply, she pulled out her phone and checked the last message she’d received.

_‘I’ll be waiting for you on the beach.’_

She glanced around, taking in the sights. A small cottage separated her from the beach. A note attached to the front door flapped in the wind. Walking over, she pulled it free.

_‘The door is unlocked, you can access the beach from the backdoor’_

The door creaked feebly as she entered. She could hear a wind chime clinking softly in from the back of the room. The small hallway that connected the entrance, kitchen, and living room was a washed white and the floorboards creaked with every step. Dropping the duffle bag on the living room floor, she made her way out the backdoor and onto the porch. Laslow—Inigo?—was standing at by a small fire pit, quietly watching the gulls fly. Heart in her throat, Corrin fumbled to compose herself. The blanket wrapped around Laslow’s shoulders was flapping wildly in the wind, and for a moment there, she couldn’t stop staring. Laslow broke the spell when he glanced over, smiling hesitantly. “Hello,” he said shyly, digging the heel of his foot into the sand. “I-I see you found your way here.”

“I did.”

“G-Good. Um, did you…how did you—“

“Silas drove me down.”

“Oh.”

An awkward silence fell between them, the gull’s cries filling the air. Tentatively, Corrin made her way over. Stopping merely inches away from the edge of the fire pit, she took a seat in the sand. He’d already lit a small fire; he was probably colder than she felt from the looks of it. The heat from the flames licked her sandal-bare feet. “So, I read your letter.”

Laslow flushed pink. “I-I know…” His foot dug deeper into the sand. Sighing profoundly, he slumped into the sand next to her. His eyes could not meet hers.

Corrin licked her lips nervously. “I’m sorry.”

Laslow could not possibly sink lower into the sand, yet he seemed to be deeper with every passing moment. “Yes?”

“I was unfair with you.”

Time seemed to stop. Laslow straightened up instantly, nearly giving himself whiplash from looking over so suddenly. “Excuse me?”

“I shouldn’t have reacted so immaturely, that was wrong. I knew you had trouble talking about your past and I should have respected you not sharing your name—“

“No, no, no, no, no—“Laslow fumbled in the sand, rolling forward towards her clumsily. The fire flickered as sand spilled into the pit but Laslow paid no mind to the flames. Stretched out awkwardly, he grasped for her hand. “Corrin, you have nothing to apologize for.”

“But—“

“I understand.”

She hesitated. “But I feel so bad.”

“As do I,” he responded gently. “But we can’t dwell on that. I want you to know that it was never my intention to hurt you; had I known how much this would have bothered you, I would have told you from the beginning.”

“I didn’t think it would—I had _heard_ rumors that you had a different name but I assumed they were just rumors. Especially coming from Keaton.”

“Ah yes,” Laslow sighed, smiling weakly. “I can see how coming from him it sounded…unreliable.”

Straightening up, he wiggled up beside her, hand still clutched in his. “Listen Corrin, I never mentioned my name because I want to focus on my present. Inigo was the name my mother gave me, and ever since she died, I wanted nothing more than to leave that behind me. It was never my intention to mislead you into thinking I was keeping secrets from you. It’s just—“

“It was hard.” Corrin finished. Laslow exhaled deeply, flushed and flustered. Nodding, he leaned in, placing his forehead on her shoulder. “I know. I thought about it and I realized you probably changed it when she died. And I felt so awful for never considering why you never spoke about it. That’s why I wanted to apologize. I put my feelings over yours.”

“Oh you were in the right, don’t you worry about that.” Laslow mumbled, smiling against her sleeve. He reached over and pulled the blanket tighter around him. To his surprise, Corrin pulled the blanket so that it covered them both. “I most definitely should have told you sooner; my friends made sure I understood that clearly while I wrote the letter.”

“They watched you write the letter?”

“Oh yes,” Laslow replied sadly, dramatically laying his head on her shoulder. “You should know Corrin; my way with spoken words is captivating. But written? Dismal.”

She giggled. “I find that incredibly hard to believe, especially from a flirt like you. I’m sure you’ve written your fair share of love letters before.”

“No,” he murmured. “You were my first.”

She blushed. Silence fell between them, the sound of the gulls overhead and ocean waves taking over their conversation. Corrin broke the silence first. “I missed you.”

“I missed you too.”

“Can I be honest?”

“Of course.”

“It wasn’t the name that bothered me most.”

Laslow lifted his head, her shirt sticking briefly to his face as he sat up. “It wasn’t? What did?”

“You…” Corrin played with feet, inching them out of her sandals and into the beach sand. Her toes curled in the sand, the grains embedding between each digit. “I was upset because you danced for her.”

“Oh,” Laslow breathed gently. “I see.”

“You said dancing was personal, something you didn’t do for just anyone. I understood that. But then you danced for Azura, in front of a crowd. I guess I just don’t really understand what you meant anymore.”

“Ah…” Laslow blushed a shade of red Corrin hadn’t known to exist until that moment. Releasing her arm from his grasp, he shuffled to his feet sheepishly.

“I did not mean to confuse or upset you,” he began quietly, shyly shrugging off his own shoes and peeling off layers of his frame until he stood clad in nothing but his pants and a thin tank top. Corrin glanced at the pile of clothing on the sand, smirking briefly before turning back to him. It seems she was right about him feeling colder than she felt. “I just…meant that there is a particular style of dance that I do not share openly…and I would like to share it with you. If that is alright with you?”

“Of course, but why this particular dance?”

He cleared his throat, struggling to keep his composure. “My mother taught me how to dance. Which I hold dear to my heart. But that means she taught me to dance what _she_ danced, meaning…well, you’ll see.”

She sat quietly, watching as he inhaled deeply and began to dance. Immediately, her face burned with embarrassment. Her eyes darted from his arms, to his hips, to his legs, unable to decide what to focus on or why. His arms reminded her suddenly that she’d never seen him so casually dressed. His hips reminded her that his clothing looked awfully fitted at that moment, the way they rotated fluidly and swiftly. His legs and feet left her in awe, wondering how he could move so smoothly and gracefully and yet keep his lower half restricted to such a small space to move. It was clear however, as flickering flames danced light across his frame, that he had danced this for a very long time. There was no music, but the ambient sounds seemed to compliment his dance all the same. It seemed like an eternity before he stopped.

Flushed and breathing heavily, Laslow struggled to find his words. “As you can see, this is…well…mother was a well-known belly dancer…I loved to watch her dance as a child but it wasn’t until I was older that I realized how sexual it must look to others and so I stopped dancing that way but—“

“You were beautiful.”

He flinched, eyes wide in shock. “E-Excuse me?”

“You were gorgeous.” Corrin said, excitement building in her chest. She beamed, scrambling to her feet. Dashing forward, she grasped his hands between her own. Laslow stiffened in surprise, blinking furiously as she swung around him. He let her drag him into her impromptu dance, slowly breaking into a wide smile. Her joy was infectious.

“I love you.”

Corrin stopped mid swing, allowing Laslow’s grip to hold her steady. Her face transitioned from stunned to shy in seconds. “I love you too,” she whispered, rubbing her thumb over his. She pressed his hands to her lips, kissing the sides before pressing her warm forehead to them. He could tell she was still embarrassed. If only she could hear his heart pounding in his chest.

“I’m glad you showed me the dance, even if you find it embarrassing to do.”

“Anything,” he breathed. She peeked up through her wind swept hair. Laslow bent over and pressed a kiss to her cheek. “Anything and more. For you.”

The distance that separated their lips all but vanished as they moved to kiss. Corrin smiled against his lips, chuckling as he reciprocated the expression. “So what now,” she murmured. Their faces were still pressed flush against each other. The sounds of the beach were muted compared to the sound of their breathing.

“Can we stay like this a little longer?” he mumbled.

She nodded.

The sun had nearly set by the time they separated but they didn’t feel the time pass. They simply stood in the sand, quietly swaying to a silent song as they enjoyed the moment. Everything was right again. Everything would be alright.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry it took so long to post! Grad school went well but unfortunately I had to switch programs, which led to a really stressful, paperwork/phone call filled past 2 months. But! We did it! We're done! I'm working on a short story, one chapter Laslow/Corrin fic so look forward to that within the next few weeks! Thank you for all the support, kudos, and comments; they've been very encouraging in a really rough patch of my life.


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